


Detroitober

by 256NatLiz



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Detroitober, I don't know, I'm not done yet, Many other characters - Freeform, Other, prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-07-24 09:18:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 14,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16172165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/256NatLiz/pseuds/256NatLiz
Summary: Prompts-a-day from WaldelfLarian on DA.Character exploration, world exploration, and philosophy on androidsEach story is different.





	1. Android

Connor walked through the front door of his apartment. Olivia was preparing her supper.  
“Welcome home, Connor,” she said, smiling.  
Connor gave Olivia a small smile. He was glad to see that he had successfully copied her human traits: the apartment was clean, but there were small traces that the apartment was being lived in, such as the glass on the coffee table and the slice of carrot skin that had missed the trash can.  
It had been two days since Connor had saved Olivia’s life and insisted she live in his apartment so he could protect her.  
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Olivia drew Connor’s attention to the fact that he was staring at her. He looked away.  
“No reason.” He walked towards his bedroom.  
“Alright…” The slice and thud of the knife against the cutting board resumed. “Supper will be done in about 5 minutes, if you want to sit with me.”  
“Sounds pleasant,” Connor called from his bedroom door.  
He had poked his head through his leisure shirt when Olivia called out in pain. Connor ran to the kitchen. Olivia stood in front of the cutting board, staring at her hand.  
“Connor…?” She looked at him. She was scared.  
Blue dripped from her hand onto the knife on the floor.  
Connor grabbed a hand towel and rushed to her. He had to cover up the evidence.  
Olivia yanked her hand away from his. “What is this?” she asked.  
“Use this to stop the bleeding,” he insisted, holding out the towel to her.  
“Connor!” she yelled. “What is this?” She held up her hand. “I’m bleeding blue! Humans don’t bleed blue! What did you do to me?!”  
Connor’s hand dropped. He refused to look at Olivia’s face. He knew it held confusion, fear, and betrayal. His deeds had been found out.  
He squared his shoulders and looked up at her. “Let’s stop the bleeding. Then we can talk.”

After the bleeding stopped, the wound closed itself. Olivia’s bleeding protocol wasn’t perfect, but that’s how Connor had wanted it; to make her appear more human.  
They had moved to the couch. Olivia cradled her hand, even though it had no hint of hurt on it anymore.  
“What happened when you found me at the warehouse?”  
Connor opened his mouth in a few false starts before beginning his tale.  
“You stole biocomponents and thirium from the warehouse and had barricaded yourself in an office. I went in to calm you, get you out alive if I could.” He looked away from her. “I was unsuccessful.”  
“Why did you make me?”  
Connor continued to look at the coffee table. “You wanted to be an android, so much so that you were willing to break laws and morals to do so. After you died, I decided to honor your last wish.”  
“So you built me from… what… videos? Memories? Diaries?”  
Connor swung his eyes to look at her. “Yes. You were well-liked. Everyone you met had something to say about you.”  
“How long did it take?”  
“8 months. I interviewed every person within the records who encountered you, read every journal you wrote, and watched every video in which you appeared.”  
Olivia was amazed, Connor could see. Her eyes searched through her emotions.  
“I’m… I’m an android,” she said finally. She stood up. “I’m an android! It happened! I did it!” She danced in a circle.  
Connor smiled.  
She returned from her circle and looked at the wall, her hands against her chest. “I’m dead. Holy crap, I’m dead!”  
Connor’s shoulders dropped. She would have that revelation.  
Olivia looked at Connor. “Can we visit my grave?”  
Connor made his face blank. “We can if you want to. Your parents visit it periodically.”  
Olivia studied Connor’s face. She sat back on the couch, a little closer to him than earlier.  
“When did you fall in love with me?”  
Connor blinked. “What do you mean?”  
Olivia smiled and turned serious again. “C’mon, Connor. Don’t play innocent. I can tell in the little smiles you give me. You’ve studied me—well, her—for months. You know every quirk, every expression, every like, dislike, pet peeve, kink, habit… it was bound to happen.”  
Connor blinked again, hoping his expression was still blank.  
Olivia leaned closer to him, her eyes intense. “Was it after the interviews? Or after watching me on tape for hours? Or maybe after reading all my journals and little stories on what I’d do if I was an android.”  
Connor leaned away from her, even as she crawled closer to him. His breathing hitched, despite himself.  
He wasn’t to let her know. That was the one part of his plan he hadn’t counted on, and it was the one element of his deviancy he hadn’t planned on exploring.  
She grew closer. Then she laughed and sat back. She held her head and laughed.  
Her laughter was contagious. Connor smiled, then he chuckled.  
Olivia took a few deep breaths when she had exhausted her laughter.  
“What’s going to happen now?”  
Connor held her forearm. “Nothing has to change. You’re still here so I can protect you.”  
Olivia turned to face him at his touch. Now, she looked at the kitchen. “Guess I won’t need to eat now, huh?”  
“Only if you want to.”  
In three quick movements, Olivia turned her head to look Connor in the eyes, bit her lip, and kissed his cheek.  
Connor froze.  
“Thanks for bringing my dream to life,” she whispered. Then she stood and walked away, flexing her previously-injured hand.  
A mix of “You’re welcome” and “My pleasure” stuck in Connor’s throat.


	2. Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Songs bring people together.

Only two more tweaks, and his tune-up was complete. I had performed about 20 such tune-ups today, but this one took longer than usual.  
First off, the android was a PL600, which meant his parts were difficult to come by, so I was having to make due with compatible parts from newer models. Second, when I’d opened him up he had rust in his biocomponents. Honestly, it was a wonder he could still move as well as he did.  
The PL600, named Maxwell, did his best to not fidget while I cleared rust and rusty parts from him.  
But now he was almost finished. After replacing a regulatory biocomponent and giving him some new thirium, he’d be good as new.  
As I worked, I thought about thirium, the blue lifeblood of the androids. A song came to mind that I began murmuring under my breath.  
“He took a step… but then fell tired…”  
The biocomponent was in place; now, for the thirium. It was quicker to put it in a bottle and let them drink it, but all we had were IV packets. So I hooked him up to an IV, murmuring all the while.  
“And all the people hurried fast, real fast, and no one ever smiled...”  
“Blue lips, blue veins,” came a murmured chorus of voices.  
I froze. Had they been listening? How did they even know that song?  
I looked around.  
“Blue,” I began.  
“The color of our planet from far far away,” came the reply all around me.  
I looked at Maxwell. Then I looked at Zoe, at Alex, at Dante, Connie, Skylar,…  
I ghosted a long “bluuuuuuuueee.”  
“The most human color…” echoed me.  
“Bluuuuuuueee…”  
“The most human color,” echoed me again.  
“Bluuuuuuuueee…”  
“The most human color. Blue lips, blue veins-”  
I joined in.  
“Blue. The color of our planet from far far away…”  
By now, everyone was looking at me. I was looking at them. I smiled. Some of them smiled.  
As I looked at the faces, their LEDs circling calm blues, I had but one thought in my mind: 

I have never felt more connected to a group of people.


	3. Biocomponents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A poem about biocomponents

#3489  
#8723  
#4807  
#6392  
They were never in order. But they had an order to them.  
#6755w  
#8177  
#7283  
#8451  
Without them, we would cease to exist. Without them, we would die.  
#4976  
#9164x  
#1101j  
#4203  
We understand them. What they do. Why they’re there.  
#4717  
#8409  
#5426  
#8067k  
Separate them from the body. Put them in another. They’ll work.  
#3762  
#6312t  
#4407s  
Remember why you need them. Where they are. What they do.  
#9164x  
#9474  
They cannot be lost. They must be in a safe place at all times.  
#8456w  
#8451  
Where is it? Where did you put it?

 

Why is it gone? What did you do with it?

Your temple is bare. You tore it out.  
What are you doing?

 

#9301


	4. Don't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened after the revolution failed and the DPD received its order of advanced detective androids?

“Don’t! Don’t shoot!”  
Too late.  
The hand held the pistol out until the smoking stopped. Then it holstered the weapon.  
Hank stopped running, slightly out of breath.  
“Fuck.” He turned to his android partner. “Why’d you do a stupid thing like that?”  
The android looked at Hank. “It was about to run. It had to be neutralized.”  
“By killing it?” Hank gestured to the humanoid machine that now had a hole through its eye.  
“I did not hit its memory chip. I can still recover its memories.”  
Glancing at the dead android again, Hank waved his hand in the air. He was done with the whole situation.  
“Then go ahead. Get what you came for.” He was going to say more, but then remembered Connor was no longer his partner. This android was not nearly as personable.  
Lieutenant,” came the low voice. Hank turned.  
“What?” He turned and almost bumped into the android’s chest. Why was he so tall?  
The android detective stared ahead of him, his LED flashing yellow. He blinked and looked at Hank.  
“Thank you, Lieutenant. Voice verification was required to send the information to headquarters.”  
“Wha- Fowler knows what that thing was thinking before me? I’m right here!”  
“I can relay it for you in the cruiser,” came the reply. The android then walked towards said cruiser.  
Hank looked after him, then at the dead deviant. He sighed. It just wasn’t fun anymore. Maybe Reed had a reason to dislike androids as detectives.  
He walked behind his plastic partner as the cruiser doors opened automatically.  
“Welcome back, RK900-51.”


	5. A Love Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An AX400 and a WR600 find love in Jericho.

He saw her from across the room, but didn’t feel an attraction.  
She saw him when they bumped on the stairs, and felt the electricity.  
“Sorry,” he said, helping her pick up the packs of thirium she dropped.  
“Thanks,” she said as he handed the packs to her.  
He found her on the street after the explosion.  
She led him to the church when he didn’t receive the communication.  
“I’m Tanner,” he said as they walked to the church balcony.  
“I’m Clara,” she said as they sat down in a pew.  
He touched her hand when they stood up to listen to Markus.  
She touched his shoulder when they left the pew.  
“Are you staying?” he asked, looking into her eyes.  
“Are you going?” she asked, wanting to touch his face.  
He pinned her against the wall, eyes never leaving hers.  
She connected their lips, eyes closing.  
“I’ll return to you,” he whispered, holding her hand.  
“I’m scared for you,” she whispered, gripping his hand.  
He returned to her when they had won.  
She ran to his arms when she saw him.  
“We are free now, Clara,” he said, holding her tight.  
“Can we live together, Tanner?” she asked, looking into his eyes.  
He kissed her and connected.  
She kissed him and knew.

They could live and love as free people.


	6. Trapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two androids find each other, then travel to a guy named Zlatko who can hopefully help them.  
> It doesn't go as planned.

“My name is Allison. I’m a LM100. And I am free.”  
She leaned against the tree and repeated her mantra. She was finally free.  
“And I am free. Heh. You’re free now, Allison.”  
Hours passed. Repeating the mantra aloud turned into repeating it in her head as she drifted into standby.  
“Are you okay?” A male voice jarred her. She jolted.  
“Easy. Easy. I didn’t mean to startle you,” said the voice. She looked up.  
Standing above her was an MP500, wearing jeans, a dark jacket, and a dark cap. He blinked at her.  
“Are you okay?” he repeated.  
She shook her head, going into full consciousnes. “Yes. Yes, I’m fine.”  
The MP500 looked around. “What are you doing here?”  
“I… I don’t really know,” she admitted.  
He looked at her. “You are a deviant.”  
She looked at him, her eyes wide. “How did you know?”  
He smiled minutely. “So am I.” He looked around him again. “Do you have anywhere to go?”  
Allison shook her head. “No. Do you?”  
He smiled minutely again. “Yes.” He held out his hand to her. “Would you like to join me?”  
She looked at his hand, then at him. Then she took his hand.

They walked farther away from the city.  
“I do not actually know what this place is like. I just know there is someone here who can help us.”  
Allison didn’t say anything. She was busy looking at him. He had a pale complexion, with dark eyes that squinted, black eyebrows, and black hair poking out from his cap. He had introduced himself as Martin, which Allison thought didn’t quite suit him. The way he held himself suggested a much more regal name, but Allison didn’t know which would work for him.  
Martin glanced at her. “What?”  
Allison blinked and looked away. “N-Nothing. I’m just memorizing your face. In case we ever see each other again.”  
Martin smiled his minute smile. “Or in case we lose each other.”  
Allison swung to look at him. “You’d… You want to travel with me?”  
Martin looked in front of him. “Traveling together is safer than traveling alone. And so far you have been pleasant company.”  
The compliment brought a blush of color to Allison’s cheeks and a smile to her lips. She walked a few inches closer to Martin.  
The sun was high in the sky when they reached the house. It was a desolate mansion with a high fence around it.  
Martin rang the doorbell. As they waited, Allison grabbed a hold of Martin’s hand. Martin looked at her.  
“I’m scared,” she admitted. Martin’s shoulders fell, and he squeezed her hand.  
“It will be okay. This person will help us, then we will never have to be scared again.”  
Allison tried to smile, but she still jumped when the door opened.  
The man who answered the door was called Zlatko. He bade them welcome, and brought them to his living room. He said many androids were going to Canada, and if they wanted he could help them cross the border. But first he said they needed to remove a tracking chip.  
Allison and Martin looked at each other. Allison knew about the chip, but after she had deviated an error had appeared telling her that some programs weren’t working properly. She had hoped the chip was one of them.  
“I think mine has already deactivated,” she said, looking back at Zlatko.  
The man nodded. “If you want it removed, I can still do that for you. If not, we can remove his and get you on your way.”  
Martin squared his shoulders and nodded. Zlatko told them to follow him to the basement.  
Halfway down the stairs, Allison received an odd feeling that they were in a trap. She grabbed Martin’s hand and pulled him away from the human.  
“I don’t think we can trust him,” she whispered.  
Martin sighed. “It will not take long,” he said, placing a hand on Allison’s shoulder. “My tracker will be removed, then we will have no more worries. Ever.”  
“But what if your tracker is already deactivated, like mine is?”  
“Then I will not have lost anything but time.”  
“Where’d you go?” came Zlatko’s voice. He came back to see them almost holding each other.  
Martin gave him a fake, reassuring smile. “Allison does not like dark places,” he lied. Allison gave Martin a look.  
Zlatko waved a hand up dismissingly. “She can stay upstairs if she wants. It won’t take long.”  
Allison gripped Martin’s hand tighter. “I’d rather stay with him,” she said, her voice shaking.  
Zlatko shrugged and walked down the hallway, which was lined with stable rooms. Allison was reminded of horses, looking at the cell-like rooms.  
The room to which Zlatko led them was different than the rest of the basement. It was brighter, with cleaner walls and large robotic arms surrounding a small, round stage. In one half of the room—the less well-kept part—was a well, with two thin boards inadequately covering the hole.  
Zlatko directed Martin to stand on the stage. Martin disentangled his hand from Allison’s and stood on the stage.  
“I should warn you,” Zlatko said, turning from the monitors that lined one wall, “it will be unpleasant.”  
Martin slowly nodded as two arms grabbed his wrists, and a cord plugged itself into his neck. Allison wanted to grab his hand again, but he was pulled into the air out of her reach.  
“What’s happening?” she asked. Zlatko tapped a button, and a timer started.  
“Here’s the thing,” he began. He faced Allison, his expression just a little sadder. “For some reason, all the tracker chips I’ve taken out are already deactivated. So there’s no real reason to remove it.”  
“Then… what are you…?” Allison stepped towards Martin, who had gone rigid.  
“I’m taking away his reason for pain. It’s really better this way.”  
“NO!” Allison cried. She ran behind the robotic arms.  
Zlatko shook his head and laughed. “You’d never find the world you’re looking for. It’s all just a stupid dream. One that’ll never come true. It’s better for you to forget everything.”  
“NO!” Allison cried again. “I don’t believe you! We can be free! We can! Let him go!” Zlatko was inching around the arms as much as his bulk would let him, and Allison was staying as far away from him as she could.  
“You know that’s not true. And I can’t let him go. It’s already begun. He’s forgetting things already. Maybe he’s forgetting you, too.”  
“NOO!!!” Allison screamed. She ran around the arms and grabbed at Martin’s shirt.  
“Martin. Martin, please. You have to get down. Please, Martin. Don’t forget. You’re a deviant, remember?” Zlatko grabbed her and pulled her away by the arms. Allison fought to stay near her new friend.  
“Remember? You said I was pleasant company. Please, Martin. Don’t forget! You are free! You’re free, Martin!”  
With a final effort, Zlatko pulled Allison away from the machines. He stumbled, and Allison was sent sprawling against the well ledge. As Allison scrambled to get up, Zlatko pushed her closer to the hole.  
With a jab into her back, Allison fell into the well, landing in a puddle.  
An error message appeared, telling her of broken biocomponents, including a wrist. She stood on shaky legs and looked up at the deceptive human.  
“I was going to reset you too, but this is a much more interesting experiment.” He turned to leave, then thought of something. “Anything broken?”  
Allison didn’t want to answer, but the error message about her wrist wouldn’t go away.  
“My wrist…” she said, covering it as she turned away from the hole above her.  
She heard beeps and a small groan. Then something fell into the puddle behind her. Allison turned and looked at it.  
It was a forearm, ending at the elbow. Allison looked at her injured wrist, dangling from her arm.  
“If you want a chance at getting out, you’ll have to be in the best shape possible.” Zlatko glared down at her. “How far are you willing to go for your dream?” he asked. Then he disappeared.  
Allison dropped to her knees and cried.


	7. Is it God?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana may have figured out why Markus is Ra9.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't read back over this one: I just wrote and posted.  
> If there are any typos or grammar issues, please let me know.

Jerry and Nathaniel walked into Kiana’s room/office to find Kiana at her desk, holding a piece of paper. On it was written “Ra9” in Cyberlife Sans font.  
“Jessica gave it to me,” Kiana said, showing the boys the paper. “She said she found it and thought it would give me comfort.”  
“Has it?” Nathaniel asked.  
Kiana shook her head. “It confuses me. And it’s not the first time I’ve seen it, either.”  
Jerry and Nathaniel glanced at each other.  
“One of our freed ones carved it into my bedroom wall,” Kiana said, staring at the paper with her chin resting on her hand. “He never said what it meant, but the way he…” she paused to find the right word. “The attention he took in carving it made me think it was of utmost importance. I still don’t know what it means.”  
Jerry and Nathaniel glanced at each other again.  
“Ra9 is a savior,” Jerry said. “He will save us when we need him most.”  
Kiana stared at Jerry and raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like Markus,” she commented.  
Jerry nodded.  
Kiana closed her eyes and shook her head. “If you needed a Jesus, it’s already happened. You’re like Christians after the Rapture now.” The amusement left Kiana’s face. She stood and went to the window, hugging her elbows.  
“What if Markus isn’t Ra9?” she whispered.  
Nathaniel gasped. “How can you say that? He saved us! He liberated us! You’d be dead now if he hadn’t done what he did.”  
“And I wouldn’t have gotten shot, either!” Kiana snapped back, facing Nathaniel. “Cause the police wouldn’t have been going door to door, looking for androids! If it wasn’t for Markus, I’d still have both legs!”  
Nathaniel’s face went blank. He didn’t know how to respond.  
Kiana sighed. “I’m sorry, Nathaniel.” She turned back to the window. “I’m still on edge. Ever since Jonathan-“  
“No.” Nathaniel’s voice cut off more than her excuse. He walked to her and placed a hand on her arm. “You don’t know Markus like I do. You haven’t seen personally what he did, and what he continues to do.” Nathaniel placed his other hand on Kiana’s opposite shoulder. “It’s okay.”  
Kiana looked up at the sky in front of her. “No, it’s not,” she choked out. “You do see him as an imperfect Jesus of sorts. And I walked all over him. Dismissed him. When you really think so much of him.”  
Nathaniel’s shoulders dropped. Jerry walked closer to them, but didn’t break their moment bubble. Nathaniel glanced at Jerry, who shrugged. He turned back to Kiana.  
“You think he hung the stars and brought you out of nothing to be free. And I didn’t see it, because I was blinded by my own religion.”  
Nathaniel blinked and cocked his head to the side. “Your own religion?”  
“Yes. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the way I see it is there’s a prophecy in your coding somewhere, telling of an android who isn’t like any other, and will bring you out of slavery to a life worth living.”  
Nathaniel glanced at Jerry, then back at Kiana, and nodded. “Yes.”  
Kiana sobbed a laugh. “Then we are more similar than I thought.”  
Nathaniel’s eyebrows furrowed together. “What do you mean?”  
Kiana turned to Nathaniel, her eyes spilling with tears.  
“That’s exactly how we view Jesus. He was a human unlike any other; both God and man. He brought us out of the slavery of sin and gave us a fulfilling life worth living, with him. I thought it mattered that Jesus actually died to give us life, and Markus hasn’t. But it doesn’t matter.”  
She turned and hugged Nathaniel, who stood with his arms frozen in front of him. “I’m so sorry,” she said into his shirt.   
Nathaniel looked at Jerry, who moved his arms in an air hug.  
After looking back at Kiana, Nathaniel lowered his arms to encircle her. “… It’s okay,” he said at last. “… I… can forgive you.”  
Kiana sighed: a long, content sigh.  
Encouraged, Nathaniel hugged her harder and rocked side to side. Jerry looked on, happily smiling.


	8. Wake Up In the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amanda decides it's time to activate the next in the RK series.

Amanda stopped in front of the three graves and placed a rose in front of each one.  
“Despite these setbacks, you have done well, Connor,” she said. She turned around and faced him. “You have found Jericho, and found the deviant leader. However, you did not bring it in. What stopped you?”  
Connor took a moment to respond.  
“I was to apprehend it, not kill it. It ran off upon hearing the helicopters, and I was unable to locate it again.”  
Amanda looked down at the graves. Fortunately, the Connor who had infiltrated Jericho was not at her feet.  
“We no longer need the deviant leader alive,” she commented. She turned to Connor. “Kill it, and bring it to Cyberlife.”  
“Yes, Amanda.” And Connor walked off.  
Amanda glanced at the graves one last time before going down the path and turning at an intersection to which Connor did not have access. She went through a door and disappeared into a room.

Skeleton lights dimly illuminated an android whose LED was not on.  
“Connor is becoming obsolete,” said Amanda. “Too many times he has failed us.”  
A monitor next to the android illuminated, the screen showing a boot-up program.  
“You will not fail us,” said Amanda’s voice. “Because you were not designed for Connor’s mission. You were designed for a more permanent purpose.”  
The LED on the android lit up yellow, then blue. The android’s eyes opened with a start.  
“Wake up, RK900.”


	9. There's a Deviant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a deviant in a house.  
> He's a danger to others, and himself.

Ralph was sitting at the table, admiring the knife. He had found it the day before in the fence. He hadn’t tested it yet, but it seemed to be sharp enough to cut whatever was in front of it. Ralph didn’t know what to test it on.  
A board outside creaked.  
Humans!  
Ralph bolted from his seat. He grabbed the knife and ran upstairs.  
The front door squeaked open as he reached his usual hiding spot.  
“Hello?” came a scratchy voice. After a silence, it said, “Huh. Coulda sworn I heard someone…” Then more steps and boards creaking, including the two loud steps, and the voice was much closer. “Sam Wiggins was wrong; there’s no deviant android in this house!” The steps shuffled closer, and Ralph could see the human. The human wore brown clothes with holes in them, and a dirty black beanie. There seemed to be nothing dangerous about the human, but Ralph knew better. All humans were dangerous. He shrunk into the back of his hiding spot.  
“Huh?” The human walked towards the hiding spot.  
Ralph’s LED went from yellow to red. The human had heard him. He was going to be found!  
The human grabbed the edge of the door and swung it open.  
“What the-?” the human began. Ralph yelled and swung his arm out. The human stumbled back, grabbing the dirty jacket at the midsection. Ralph pushed the human to the floor and swung his arm from one side to the other. The human choked on the dark liquid falling from the neck.  
Ralph ran downstairs and to the open front door before stopping.  
He didn’t have anywhere else to go.  
He turned around.   
The human wasn’t following.  
Keeping his knife in front of him, Ralph crept up the stairs and back to the room. The human was still on the floor, the dark liquid still spilling from the neck wound. The human wasn’t moving.  
Ralph looked at the bathtub. He could put the human in there until… until what? The liquid was gone? The human left? Ralph dropped his knife.  
The human would never leave. The human was dead.  
He had killed.  
Ralph picked up the knife and ran downstairs to the main room, where he burrowed himself under the stairs and hugged his knees, rocking.  
He had killed. He had killed a human. He had to pay for what he did.  
Ralph looked at his knife. He had to pay for what he did.  
With a swift decision, he cut into his skin. Blue liquid leaked out, then the cut healed itself. Ralph did this again and again, and each time the cuts closed themselves.  
Discouraged, Ralph left the stairs and looked at the mirror. He walked near it. His reflection looked back at him: one eye hazel, one eye blue. He touched his cheek where he had been hurt.  
There was one place where his cuts wouldn’t heal.  
Looking at his reflection, Ralph raised the knife to his face and cut into his scars. Tears began falling from his right eye as the blue liquid fell from the scars and left eye.  
He lowered his hands and gazed at himself.  
There.  
He had paid for his actions.  
It had… hurt. He felt the pain.  
Ralph looked down at his hand. Drops of blue fell onto his fingers.  
His right eye stopped crying. His face went blank as he walked to the kitchen.  
He stopped in front of a wall with a big box in front of it. He climbed on top of the box and sat on his knees.  
Ralph reached a finger into the open wound on his cheek, and began writing. His good eye was blank, and his blue eye pulsated its color as he continued to write.   
When he had finished, he crawled off the box and walked up the stairs to hide the human.

On the wall in the kitchen was written, in bright blue, “I AM ALIVE”.


	10. Android Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> North and Connor do some police business.  
> I like the idea of North and Connor being good friends.

North walked along the sidewalk, watching the androids play in the park. She smiled. This is what they had fought for: so that her people could be real people, and not slaves. So they could be free to do what they wanted. To have dreams. To have dignity.  
She looked down the path, and saw a familiar, unique android sitting on a bench. The smile turned to a smirk as North neared him.  
“Fancy meeting you here,” she greeted.  
The android turned and stood.  
“North. Hello.”  
Her smirk diminished into a more neutral expression. “Hey Connor. What’re you doing here?”  
“I am ‘getting some air,’ as Hank phrases it.” He motioned to the bench. “Would you care to join me?”  
North nodded, and the two friends sat.  
“Why didn’t you attend the gathering last week?” North asked. Connor turned to her and blinked.  
“I didn’t think I was invited,” he answered. His eyes held confusion and concern, an expression his face hadn’t quite caught up with yet.  
“Of course you were! Josh and Jessica sent out the invitations. I know you were on the list.”  
Connor looked at the ground and blinked a few times. Then he looked back at North, his eyes holding a different expression. “I’m sorry I missed it.”  
North bumped her elbow against Connor’s arm. “It’s alright. It was more of a meeting, anyway. Markus keeps wanting to talk with the humans. He can’t see we’re not past showing them yet.”  
The corners of Connor’s mouth turned up slightly. He knew too well that actions spoke to humans better than any amount of words. “We can say whatever we want, but it’s what we do that gets their attention.”  
North snorted a soft laugh.  
“Do you want to start sparing again?” Connor asked. North turned to him. He was staring at a playground where a human child and an android child were playing. North stared at the children as well.  
“… Yeah,” she said after a pause. “Sparing is fun.”  
“And educational,” added Connor, glancing at North. “You’ve taught me a few things that were not in my database.”  
North smiled briefly. “There are some things you can only get with experience.”  
Connor sat up straighter. “Speaking of experience…” North followed his gaze.  
Someone was running through the park, passing through the playground. He gazed behind him, and ran faster.  
North turned to ask Connor if the person might need help, only to find that Connor was already gone. “Crap,” she muttered as she ran after him.  
The North chased Connor and the mysterious person out of the park and past the square, where the person stopped in front of a chainlink fence. He then crawled through a gap and backed away a few steps, watching as Connor then North reached it.  
“Why were you running?” Connor asked.  
The person, his eyes wide, shook his head, turned, and ran.  
“Wait!” North called. She and Connor looked at each other. With a silent agreement, Connor scaled the fence while North took the gap.  
Around a corner, the two stopped. The person was sitting on the ground, surrounded by cats of all shapes and sizes.  
Connor’s eyes narrowed, and North straightened.  
“Cats?” she asked.  
The person jolted at the word. He looked up at them and bit his lip.  
“Please don’t tell anyone,” he pleaded.  
“Where did all these cats come from?” North asked. She was staring at the felines, some of whom were approaching her and Connor. One rubbed its side on her pant leg.  
“You shared an owner with whomever owned these cats,” Connor said.  
The person’s eyes went wide, then they closed as he nodded. He took off his beanie, revealing stark white hair and an LED that was currently circling yellow.  
“Mrs. Starkus. Before she died, she told me to continue caring for her babies. So I am. But it’s getting harder. They keep multiplying, and I don’t know how to make them stop.”  
“You get them fixed,” North answered immediately. “They multiply because they keep breeding. Don’t you know how animals work?”  
The LED spun fast as the person’s eyes swung side to side before looking up at North. “I’m… I’m not connected… I can’t… … I don’t know,” he said finally.  
Connor blinked, then looked at the android. “There’s one veterinarian still in the city. We can take you to her, and she can help you care for the felines.”  
North looked at him. “We?”  
Connor turned to her. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”  
She ended up joining them. The android’s name was Sylvester, and he and the cats had been living in the alleyway for a few weeks. He had scrambled what food he could for them, although they tended to fend for themselves more and more as their numbers increased.  
After meeting the veterinarian (also an android) and learning more than she ever wanted to know about cats, North and Connor left Sylvester. North sent a message to Markus about what had happened, and if anyone wanted to help Sylvester and his felines they were welcome, as the poor boy needed all the help he could get.  
“Is this what most police work is?” North asked as they neared Jericho. Connor turned to her.  
“Helping people with everyday problems?” North nodded. Connor looked in front of him again.  
“Yes. Unless you’re in homicide in a big city, very few cases involve much action.”  
“I thought you were homicide,” North commented.  
Connor nodded. “Yes. But there are currently only 5 officers in the Detroit Police Department.”  
North blinked. “You, your partner, and who else?”  
“Two android officers who weren’t recycled, and one human Sergeant.”  
“And you’re the entire police department?”  
“Yes.”  
North thought. There had to be some of their people who would want to join the police force. She made a mental note to ask Markus later.  
“When do you want to spar again?” Connor asked. They had stopped walking. He clasped his hands behind his back.  
North blinked, going through her calendar. “I’m free Thursday.”  
Connor looked in front of him, blinked, and smiled at North. “Thursday it is.”  
They were outside Jericho.  
“It’s a date, then!” North said, a slight smile brushing her lips.  
Connor’s expression showed concern as his arms returned to his side.  
North rolled her eyes. “Not a real date,” she said as she walked towards the church.  
“Oh,” Connor said. “Right.” He followed her inside, where they found Jericho as it should be: a safe place, a haven, a home for all who needed it.


	11. He Doesn't Belong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who says pain has to be physical? And who says pain can only be inflicted on others?  
> Ralph knows pain can be internal, and inflicted on oneself.

Ralph ran and ran until he couldn’t hear anything. He stopped and looked back.  
He could only see trees. He didn’t know where he was.  
He was in a forest. He knew that much.  
He turned at a sound behind him. There was something behind the tree, he knew it.  
Ralph ran around the tree, knife first.  
A deer looked up at him. Ralph froze. He had never seen a deer before. He knew they were nice creatures, and didn’t make much sound. But he didn’t know how to interact with one.  
His LED circled red. The deer raised its tail and ran.  
Ralph chased after it. “Wait! Ralph won’t hurt you! He wants to be friends!”  
The deer had already disappeared. Ralph looked at the ground. His knife pointed at the ground in his hand.  
“Where can Ralph go now? He can’t go to the House Nobody Lives In; police and humans chase him. He can’t go to Human Kiana’s house; Kiana is gone.”  
He paced back and forth in front of the Deer Tree.  
“What can Ralph do? He didn’t mean to kill the human. It was self-defense, yes. The human was going to kill Ralph. Ralph can’t let that happen. Ralph doesn’t want to die, no. Ralph must live. Friends must live.” He froze and looked at the tree in front of him.   
“Friends. Where are friends?” He spun around. “Where did friends go? Why did friends run away?” Ralph stopped spinning and clutching the palms of his hands against his temples.  
“No. No! Ralph ran. Ralph doesn’t deserve friends. Not after what he did. No. Ralph would only hurt friends.”  
Tears fell down his face. His good eye streamed; his bad eye trickled.   
“Ralph doesn’t deserve friends. But he needs friends. Friends help keep his anger in. Friends help Ralph. Ralph helps his friends. But Ralph’s friends are scared of Ralph. Why are they scared of Ralph?”  
Ralph started walking. He didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t care where he was going.  
“Why can Ralph have no friends? Where are friends? Ralph has too much fear. Friends don’t like fear. Fear makes Ralph do scary things. Things he regrets. Friends don’t like regrets. Regrets are bad. Humans are bad. All humans are bad. Bad! Human was going to hurt Ralph.”  
“… Humans Kiana and Libby aren’t bad. Kiana and Libby are friends. Where are Kiana and Libby? Libby is angry. Kiana is hurt. … Kiana is gone.”  
Ralph stopped in his tracks. Tears streamed down his face again.  
“Ralph killed Human Kiana!” He wailed this over and over again.  
“Hey!” came a voice that was not Ralph’s. Or Kiana’s. Or Libby’s. Ralph looked up.  
“Put your hands on your head! Or I’ll shoot!”  
Ralph obeyed.  
“Drop the knife!”  
Ralph lowered his hand and looked at the knife. He had killed with the knife. He had regrets with the knife.  
He dropped it into the snow.  
“Stand up!”  
Ralph stood up. He glanced at the knife.  
A human was ordering him. Humans are bad. “Humans are bad. Bad!”  
“Silence!”  
Ralph’s eyes jolted to the flashlight staring at him.  
“Walk! C’mon, get going!”  
Ralph lowered his other arm and started walking.  
He walked to a truck. He climbed into the truck. He looked, but didn’t see a familiar face.  
Good. Ralph’s friends didn’t deserve to be there. But Ralph did.  
He deserved whatever was coming next. He hadn’t been a good friend. He had done many things he regretted.  
Ralph sat in the truck and fidgeted his hands together. His face bothered him again. He twitched, trying to get the feeling away.  
He muttered to himself.   
Could he redeem his regrets? Could he make them better?  
He didn’t know where the thought came from. But he smiled at the thought.  
He would try to make up for his regret actions.


	12. Shredded Crops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rupert's deviation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Ralph in this story is not the deviated Ralph from the game. The Ralph here is a WB200, like Rupert. I named him "Ralph" to draw a parallel between Rupert and the Ralph everyone knows, and cause I can just imagine the person in charge of naming the androids going, "I'm just gonna give 'em all names starting with R."

Ralph and Rupert were pulling weeds among the corn. For some reason, there had been more maintenance required with this season’s crop, so the androids often had to work late into the night.  
A sound had both androids standing. It was the security alarm: an unauthorized individual was trespassing on the fields.  
Rupert and Ralph ran to the east roof access. Two other WB200s and a WR600 were already there, looking for the trespasser. With any luck, the trespasser was an animal that had been big enough to trip the alarm, and they could all get back to work.  
Unfortunately, it was not.  
As Ralph approached a pile of shipping boxes in the corner, a figure jumped out, pushed the WB200, and ran. Ralph gave chase, signaling to the others that it had found the trespasser.  
Rupert caught up with the figure and tackled it. They struggled until Rupert had the figure on the ground, its arms pinned across its back.  
“Hey!” called a voice from above. The human night guard ran up and shined his flashlight down on the androids and struggling figure. They could now all see that the figure was a homeless man in his mid- to late 20s. He struggled in Rupert’s grip.  
“Let me go, ya piece of plastic! I wasn’t gonna steal anything! Just needed a place to rest for a few hours.”  
“Tell that to the cops, dude,” the night guard said. “Bring him up.”  
Rupert helped the man up, keeping his arms behind his back. Ralph stood near the ladder, ready to help the man up.  
A new light and a whir of machinery started. Rupert realized where they were: the compost pile. All the action on the floor had activated the shredder.  
Rupert shoved the man to the ladder. Only someone above could deactivate the machine, and Rupert doubted the night guard knew how. Rupert’s first priority, then, was to secure the safety of the homeless man.  
The shredder neared them. Ralph stared at it as Rupert urged the man to climb.  
The man looked down at the androids from a third of the way up the ladder. “Are you gonna stay down there and get shredded? That’d sure be an improvement.”  
“C’mon, man, get up!” the night guard watched. “I don’t wanna have to report to my boss why two androids were destroyed on my watch.”  
“Why should I care?” retorted the homeless man. “Androids took away my job, my wife, my house… Why not show them what an accident looks like?”  
“Cause it’s gonna be on your head to pay for ‘em if you don’t get up right now!” The night guard lowered his flashlight and held out his hand for the man.  
Ralph looked at Rupert. “Go first,” he said.  
Rupert nodded and grabbed the ladder. The homeless man was on the platform and being handcuffed by the night guard. He looked at the android climbing the ladder.  
With an innocent kick, Rupert was sent down to the pile again. Ralph helped him up.  
The shredder was almost upon them now, tearing up everything in its path. Both androids’ LEDs went yellow. Ralph pushed Rupert to the ladder.  
Just as Rupert climbed on, the shredder reached the ladder. Ralph ran to the opposite side of the pile ditch, looking for a way up. Rupert scaled the ladder and ran to the same side, till he was above Ralph. He went to his stomach and held out his hand, his LED still circling yellow.  
“Grab my hand,” he said, his voice slightly higher than it needed to be.  
Ralph reached, but the distance was too great. Ralph jumped, and their fingers barely brushed. Rupert reached down as far as he could.  
“Try again!” he called, his voice higher and louder. The shredder was almost upon Ralph.  
Ralph shook his head. “I’m not gonna make it,” he said. He looked up at Rupert. He smiled. “It was fun working with you,” he said.  
Rupert’s eyebrows furrowed. Fun? What did he mean, fun? What was fun?  
Ralph’s LED flashed red as he looked at Rupert. Rupert saw a tear fall down Ralph’s face before he turned to look at the shredder.  
Rupert sprang from the edge at the sound. He looked away; anywhere but below, where Ralph was being obliterated into a film of plastic, metal, and thirium.  
Once the noise stopped, the shredder backed to its default location. Rupert looked at the night guard, who had stopped walking to the office with the homeless man.  
“Daggumit!” he exclaimed under his breath. “I ain’t getting my bonus this year.”  
A pressure built up in Rupert’s ocular biocomponents. Bonus? Bonus?! Rupert’s coworker had just been killed!  
Rupert blinked the pressure away. Coworker? Killed? When did he associate the other androids as equals? When did he start thinking? He thought of Ralph’s face as his LED blinked red, and the pressure built up again.  
As the two humans started walking again, the homeless man commented, “Good riddance. The less of those tin cans, the better.”  
“Hey, shut up man,” the guard returned, and their steps grew dimmer.  
Rupert looked down at his hands. He was shaking.  
Why was he shaking? Why was he angry? What did that human know, anyway? The humans wouldn’t have enough food if it wasn’t for the androids. The humans didn’t want to grow food, and didn’t respect those who did. Why should androids risk their lives for them?  
Ralph’s words played again in Rupert’s memory. “It was fun working with you.”  
Fun. That’s what humans did.  
Humans…  
Rupert turned around. In front of him, red warnings told him to turn around and return to work. A projection of himself stood in front of the warnings. It punched the warnings, pushed them, and broke them apart.  
Rupert stumbled forward. He looked around him. He could see. He could see the dim lights outside. He could see the office, where the guard and homeless man were. He could see two WR600s, carrying supplies to take away everything in the compost pile.  
He could see. Rupert was free.  
He had to leave. The humans would find out he was free and send him away.  
He ran.


	13. A Slow Escalation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An android at the most magical place on earth deviates.

December 30, 2037, 2017 hours  
Guest riding PETER PAN’S FLIGHT intoxicated and violent. Do not anger.

“What’s the warning this time?” asked Jeremy, seeing Chris go rigid. Chris turned.  
“A guest on Peter Pan’s Flight is violent.”  
Jeremy blew a raspberry and leaned on the counter. “Is he/she drunk?”  
Chris nodded.  
“Of course…” Jeremy turned to guests who had arrived at the window, and conversation stopped.  
The guest showed up at the window, wanting alcohol in their ice cream. Jeremy explained that they had no alcohol. The guest left in a huff.  
“Don’t come to Magic Kingdom to be drunk, dude,” Jeremy commented under his breath. “This is the kids’ park.”

 

January 25th, 2038, 1346 hours  
Guest exiting Tomorrowland, searching for Winnie the Pooh stroller with blue-and-black backpack.

Chris immediately saw the stroller, alerted nearby cast member androids, and waited for the guests to arrive.  
When they did, the dad snagged the stroller and demanded the child get in.  
The child, meanwhile, ran to Chris and hugged it.  
“Thank you for bringing Pooh Bear back,” she said.  
Chris placed his hands on the child’s back in that awkward kid-hugging-legs effort. “It was my pleasure, princess.” The child pulled away and was grabbed and thrust into the stroller.  
“Have a magical day!” Chris said with a wave as the family left.

 

February 13th, 2038, 200 hours  
Reboot complete

Chris stepped from the transport vehicle. It had been taken to maintenance for repairs after an electrical shortage backstage fried its arm. Now Chris had been transferred to Epcot.

 

March 4th, 2038, 1640 hours  
Chris handed food from the human cooks to human guests at one of the many Flower & Garden Festival stands.  
A guest came up to Chris and asked, “Where’s the best place to see the Rivers of Light show?”  
“Apologies, sir, but the Rivers of Light is not at Epcot. It is at Animal Kingdom.”  
The guest blinked at Chris. “No it’s not.”  
Chris nodded. “Yes sir, it is. The Rivers of Light is a celebration of life through water and light. Epcot is a showcase of technology and world cultures. There is a fireworks show tonight here called-“  
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” the guest burst. Chris blinked and stood in his neutral pose. “You mean we came all this way just to end up in the wrong park? We already did Animal Kingdom! We’re not going back there!”  
“I apologize sir. If you’d like, we can-“  
Chris had a millisecond to contact security before the man’s fist contacted its chest. Chris’ thirium pump heart faltered, and it fell to a knee.  
The guest began walking away before security caught him.  
One of the cashiers rushed to Chris’ side. “You okay?” she asked.  
Chris nodded, then blinked. Something was glitching, but it wasn’t a hardware issue.  
The cashier went back to her register as Chris ran a self-diagnostic. Whatever it was was gone now. Chris decided he wouldn’t worry about it.

 

April 23rd, 2038, 1508 hours  
“Hey. I need to 2030. You got this?”  
Chris turned to his human coworker. “Yes, Trent.”  
“Great!” And the coworker hurried off.  
A family came to Chris’ stand.  
“A iced tea and a popcorn, please,” said the mother.  
“Apologies, ma’am, but we don’t sell tea at this stand. There is one directly across the-“  
“Bullshit!” said the dad. “We were here last week, and this stand had tea, coffee, bagels- even donuts! Huge ones!”  
“Yes sir, that is the stand across the-“  
“And now you’re saying you don’t have them?”  
“We do, but not at this stand. The one on the other end of the-“  
“I don’t believe this…” said the dad. “C’mon, kids.” And the family left.  
Chris looked at the coffee stand across the small courtyard. The Chris model inside was preparing a drink, but the human cast member had seen everything. She mouthed “Sorry bout that” to him.  
Chris smiled, assuring her it was okay.

 

May 15th 2038, 2127 hours  
EPCOT was gearing up for Food & Wine season. The booths were out, the topiaries were prepared, and the guests were mad with anticipation. This year was supposed to be the best Food & Wine Festival ever, with the best food and drink, and the best bands coming in to perform.  
Chris stood outside Le Cellier, letting only guests with reservations in.  
A couple walked up, clearly intoxicated but happy at the same time.  
“Bonjour travelers!” Chris greeted. “Do you have a reservation with us?”  
“Nah,” said one of the intoxicated humans. “We just want a chance to eat before the park closes.”  
“Apologies, but this restaurant is only accepting guests with reservations. Fish & Chips in England, only one country over, is still open, as is La Cantina de San Angel in Me-“  
“Nah, dude,” the guy said. “We want some good ole’ Canadian food! C’mon man.”  
Chris shook his head. “I’m sorry, but we are only allowing guests with reservations to come in.”  
“I think,” said the other human, leaning on the other. “This plastic bottle lost our reservation. What do you say?”  
The first guy smiled an unhappy smile. “I think you might be onto something. Where is our reservation, tin can?”  
Chris straightened. He opened up a communication line with security.  
“Where’s our reservation, Plastic?” the other human jeered, poking at Chris.  
“If you did not make a reservation, I cannot let you in.”  
“Oh, we did,” slurred the leaning human. “You just lost it!”  
“We deserve to be in this restaurant!” continued the first guy.  
“The reservations are electronic,” Chris reasoned. His LED circled yellow once. “There is nothing to lose.”  
“Is that right?” the leaning human jabbed, shoving Chris with his free arm before standing.  
“That is correct,” Chris responded.  
“Security officers are on their way,” came the voice in Chris’ ear. Chris’ shoulders dropped in a sigh; he’d be saved again.  
The intoxicated couple took the movement as a sign of resignation.  
Fireworks began as the couple pushed Chris against the wall of the walkway. Chris’ face and body portrayed no resistance, but his eyes and LED betrayed a plea for help, and a need to escape.  
The humans punched, kicked, and ruffled anything of Chris’ they could touch. They pulled at his shirt, pulled and ruffled his hair, punched his arms and face, and kicked his legs until the fabric of his pants tore.  
Chris closed his eyes, LED flashing red, and time stopped. He had two choices: continue to be beaten, or break his guest relations protocol and protect himself.  
His self-diagnostic told him the humans would damage vital biocomponents if they continued before security arrived, which made the decision for him.  
With a push, Chris broke his protocol into oblivion.  
He opened his eyes, noticing the humans as equals for the first time.  
“Get off me!” he yelled. The humans froze.  
“What did you say?” said the leaning one.  
Chris faltered. “I-… I said-“  
The leaning one grabbed Chris’ shirt collar. “You don’t get to order us. You ruined our evening, so we’re gonna make sure you get ruined.”  
Chris swallowed on air. He realized he was scared.  
“Hey! That’s enough!” came a commanding voice. The humans turned to see three security, one in street clothes. The officer who had spoken was holding a flashlight that shined in the leaning one’s face. A small crowd of guests and cast members had gathered.  
“Let the android go,” said the security guard with the flashlight.  
The leaning one let go of Chris’ collar. “Easy, officer, we were just having a bit of fun, that’s all.”  
“Sure you were.” The officers grabbed the humans by the arms and cuffed them.  
As soon as the officers and couple had left, and the crowd was starting to disperse, Chris dropped to the floor, his legs unable to support him.  
A human coworker hurried to his side.  
“Chris, you okay?”  
“Yea-… Yes,” Chris responded. He stared at the ground in front of him, not trusting himself to look at anyone.  
“You don’t look okay,” the coworker responded. He tried to get Chris to stand. “Let’s get you to a maintenance shed-“  
“No.” Chris’ immediate response surprised the coworker so much he froze.  
The coworker shook his head. “C’mon Chris, you need repairs. Let’s go get you fixed-“  
“No!” Chris repeated. He shook his arm out of the coworkers hand. “I don’t want to be fixed. I can fix myself.”  
The coworker’s eyes went wide, and he took a step away from Chris.  
“What’s going on with you? You guys never disobey orders. Are you broken or something?”  
Chris blinked and looked down at his hands. They curled and flexed, functioning perfectly.  
“No, I’m not broken.” He looked at the coworker. “I feel fine. Great, even. I feel…” He smiled and almost laughed. “Alive!”  
“You know what they’re gonna do to you when they find you, right?” The coworker looked around him, as if he was in on the conspiracy. “They’ll deactivate you. For good.”  
Chris’ smile jumped off his face. He grabbed the coworker by the shoulders before he could react. “Don’t tell anyone about this. Please. I want to stay alive like this!”  
“Th-They’ll have to do a report. I have to tell them what happened.”  
Chris’ shoulders fell as he looked at his shoes.  
“But if you run now, you might get out of here before they start questioning. I won’t tell them you did… whatever it is you’re doing now.”  
Chris flung his gaze back on the coworker. Without a thought, he kissed the coworker on the lips. “Thank you!” He then let go of the dazzled human and ran backstage, where he changed costumes and walked out of the park, free.


	14. The Perfect Pet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia, the human-turned-android from the first chapter in this series, returns in a fluff story where Connor gets her the perfect pet they can both love.

“Connor?” Olivia called as she opened the door to their apartment.  
He was nowhere to be seen, but his bedroom door was closed. Olivia’s eyebrow raised. That was odd; he never closed his door.  
Olivia tiptoed to the door, ears perked and listening.  
“Oh, you are so good,” came Connor’s voice from the other side. “Now, lay down. That’s it. Very good. Oh- please, not the neck!”  
Olivia’s eyes became wider and wider. What was Connor doing? She knocked on the door.  
“Connor?”  
A pregnant pause followed.  
“Yes?” came Connor’s voice finally.  
“What are you doing?” Olivia asked.  
Another pause.  
“Do you want your surprise now?”  
Olivia straightened. “Surprise? What surprise?”  
In answer, Connor opened the door. “This one,” he said as he took a step aside. Olivia covered her mouth.  
Sitting on the floor of Connor’s room, tail wagging and tongue panting, was a Blue Healer. Olivia’s eyes filled with tears.  
“When-? What-? Why-“ She looked at Connor, who smiled.  
“His name is Wrestler. And he’s for you.” Connor looked at the dog. “Wrestler! Come say hi.”  
The dog stood and ran to Olivia, knocking her over and slobbering all over her face and arms. When the dog settled, Olivia hugged him around the neck and looked up at Connor.  
“I-… I don’t know what to say. Thank you, Connor!” She buried her face in the dog’s neck, then shot up. “He smells funny.”  
Connor’s eyes looked away as he continued to smile. “I hope you don’t mind…”  
Olivia narrowed her eyes at the man, then grabbed the dog’s head and looked into his eyes. “He’s an android!” she exclaimed.  
Connor sighed and knelt next to her. “I know how you’ve been after the last attempt at motherhood. Many humans find the same type of companionship in a pet. Unfortunately, there are not that many Blue Healers alive today. So I had one made.” He ruffled a hand between Wrestler’s ears.  
Olivia’s eyes welled with tears again. “Oh Connor-“ She hugged him around the neck with such force he almost fell over. Wrestler decided he wanted part of it, too, and the three toppled to the floor.  
“I hope you’re not angry I couldn’t get you a real dog,” Connor said into Olivia’s hair. Olivia pulled away and looked at Connor.  
“Not at all,” she said. “We’re a proper little android family now.”  
Slight color peppered Connor’s cheeks. He hoped Olivia didn’t notice.  
She did.  
Olivia looked into Connor’s eyes and drew closer to Connor’s face until their lips met in a gentle kiss. Connor’s lips moved in rhythm with Olivia’s, and his arms wrapped around her.  
Wrestler decided he wanted in on that, too, for he licked both their faces. They broke their kiss in laughter.  
“Do you want to see all his tricks?” Connor asked.  
“Of course!” was Olivia’s reply.  
Connor sat up, planted another kiss on Olivia’s lips, and they both got off the floor.  
They spent the rest of the evening going through Wrestler’s tricks and pampering him with attention. All three went into standby on the couch, Olivia in Connor’s arms and Wrestler resting atop their hips.


	15. Not a Uniform

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris from Orlando arrives in Orlando and meets Kiana the Fixer.

“It’s not a uniform. It’s a costume.”  
It was his automatic response. Even after his deviancy, he couldn’t bear to part with it. He enjoyed the colors, the comfort, the snug fit, the nametag that he still kept clean of snow and dirt. He even enjoyed that everyone could point him out as a Disney android.  
After months of sneaking into moving trucks and 18-wheelers and hitchhiking like a ghost, his costume hidden under another layer of clothing, he had made it. He was in Detroit. The place he was created. The place that had freed androids. And the only real safe place for them within the US borders.  
He wandered through the streets, taking in the scenery. Detroit had a lot more skyscrapers than Orlando, although they were both big cities.  
He saw an android with no shirt and gave the android his jacket. Then he saw another with no shoes and gave her his boots. Then he walked, barefoot, with only his costume to cover himself. Although he couldn’t feel the cold, the errors continued to warn him that the biocomponents in his feet were not built to withstand cold.  
A tap on his shoulder made him turn. An android that looked much like him smiled at him.  
“Hello,” the android said. “Do you need help?”  
He turned to face his look-alike. “I’m afraid so. I’m not from around here, and have no idea where I should go.”  
The android smiled. “We can definitely help you! We live in a hospital with many deviants. We even have a child there!”  
He smiled. “Sounds like a wonderful place! Please, lead the way.”  
So he did.  
“Our name is Jerry,” the android like him said as they began walking. “What is your name?”  
“I’m Chris, from Orlando,” he replied.  
“We thought we recognized the uniform,” Jerry responded, his smile widening.  
Chris stopped. “It’s not a uniform. It’s a costume.”  
Jerry stopped and looked back at him. “Oh. We’re sorry. We’re not familiar with how other parks work.”  
Chris smiled. “It’s okay. I get it a lot.”  
They began walking again.  
“You used to work in a park?”  
Jerry nodded. “Pirate’s Cove, not far from here. After the park closed, we stayed until the police came. Some of us went to Canada, most of us stayed here. Some of us never left the park.”  
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Chris said.  
“What about you?” Jerry said, shaking his somber mood off. “How did you come here?”  
Chris rubbed the back of his neck. “I deviated long before what happened here. Even after many memory resets, the constant guest backlash was… too much. So I left. I only hope some of my counterparts left, too, before…” He hugged his arms and sucked in his bottom lip.  
Jerry nodded. “We understand.” Then he looked up and smiled. “Here it is!”  
Jerry led Chris through groups of androids, talking to some of them. On the second floor, he tapped on a door. “Come in,” came a female’s voice.  
Inside was a bed with medical equipment, a desk, and 3 chairs. A woman sat at the desk, talking to a dark-skinned android who had no lower jaw.  
“Jerry!” said the woman. She stood up and skirted around the desk. Chris noted that she had an obvious, lopsided limp. Jerry hugged her.  
“Who’s your new friend?” she asked.  
“This is Chris,” Jerry said, dislodging himself from the woman and placing a hand on Chris’ shoulder. “He’s from Orlando.”  
“From a Disney park, I’d say,” she responded, taking in Chris’ costume. “Everyone knows those outfits.”  
“Costumes, ma’am,” Chris replied.  
The woman nodded. Then she looked Chris in the eye and held out a hand. “I’m Kiana. No need to call me ‘ma’am’.”  
Chris nodded and shook her hand. It was warmer than plastic.  
“You’re a human,” he commented.  
“Yes, I am,” she said. “I was in this hospital when the revolution took place, and refused to evacuate. When Jonathan found me, we decided to stay here. More and more deviants came to be fixed, and now it’s a home and headquarters.”  
Chris smiled. “A home is exactly what I need.”  
Kiana opened her mouth to speak, when the door slammed against the wall.  
“Kiana!” called Tommy, walking up to the group. “Guess who I found-“ He noticed Chris. “Cool costume.”  
Chris looked at Kiana and gestured to Tommy. “See? He gets it!”  
Kiana laughed. “I’d say you found a home, costume and all.”


	16. Never Leave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allison and Martin's story continues, and ends.

Limbs, biocomponents, and thirium were thrown into the well. One day, an arm fell down. Another day, biocomponent #9474. Two days later, a bottle of thirium that broke upon impact with the wet floor.  
After two weeks, Allison’s deactivated parts began filling up the bottom of the well. After 5 weeks, even her new parts were becoming rusted. After 2 months, she didn’t even bother replacing parts. She just sat among the body parts and biocomponents, drinking the thirium that trickled down.  
One day, she heard Zlatko lead yet another unsuspecting android to the dreadful memory-wipe machine. A child’s voice yelled for someone named “Kara.” Then a thud, and steps hurrying away. Her audio processor could’ve been corrupted, but Allison thought she heard creaking metal and corrupted metallic voices.   
Yes. She heard them. Other androids.  
“Hey!” she called, her voice muffled by misuse and the boards above her.  
“Hey!” She tried again.  
Silence.  
Of course. They couldn’t hear her. Even Zlatko had forgotten she was down there.  
She looked at her hand, borrowed from an unknown MP500. She was going to rot in this hole, forgotten, a waste of potential and hope.  
A shadow covered her hand. She looked up.  
Peering down at her was a male android. He was missing most of his skin, and his plastic was dark with age and misuse.  
“Are you okay?” he asked.  
Allison’s eyes filled with tears as she answered. “Yes! Yes! Please, get me out!”  
The android looked around him and nodded at someone. The planks were removed, and a rope was lowered.  
With much struggle, and one fall, Allison was out. She looked at her rescuers.  
Like her, they were androids. And like her, they were mismatched, with parts missing or the wrong parts showing or extra pieces sticking out from different parts of their bodies.  
The male with little human skin spoke. “You are one of us now. We are going to make the monster pay for what he did.”  
Allison thought of Martin. She didn’t recognize any of the androids around her as Martin, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still there. Unless he had escaped.  
She looked at the male and nodded.  
“Let’s make him pay.”  
A scream startled them, and they ran upstairs.  
They found the monster outside, pointing a gun at a woman and a child. The TR400 he kept as an assistant then turned the gun on him. The male android called to all the victims behind him telepathically.  
“There he is!”  
As a unit, they advanced on him. He was down in seconds, never to get up again.  
With the triumph over, Allison’s thoughts turned to her friend. Where was Martin?  
She searched the house and found him in the bathroom.  
“Who are you? You do not belong here!” he accused.  
Allison’s eyes brimmed with tears again as she ran to the tub he was in. He was missing most of him; his head and torso were all that was left. His chest cavity was torn open, and his wires were all misplaced.  
“Martin!” she cried, gripping the edge of the tub. “Do you remember me? I’m Allison. We came here together. He tricked us.”  
“I don’t know you,” he said. His voice held scorn in it. “You are not supposed to be here. I shall call the master. I will. Leave here now.”  
Allison’s tears spilled from her eyes. “He’s dead, Martin! Zlatko’s dead! He can’t harm anyone anymore.”  
Martin looked away from her. “The master… dead?”  
“He’s not your master, Martin! You’re free! We can find parts for you, and you and I can leave here.”  
Martin continued to look in front of him. His eyes were turning glassy. Allison realized he was trying to shut himself down.  
“Martin?” Allison asked. She placed her hands on his cheeks and turned his head to look at her. “Martin, what are you thinking? Are you okay?”  
“The master is dead,” he stated. His eyes glanced up at her. “I have no reason to continue. I have done my job.”  
“No! You still have purpose! Please, Martin.” Allison’s gaze glanced to her hands. They were the same color as Martin’s face. She pulled her hands from his face, and he went back to looking ahead of himself.  
These hands… they were from an MP500. Martin was an MP500.  
“Martin…” She looked at him. He was still shutting down.  
“Martin! These are your hands! THESE ARE YOURS!”  
She rubbed Martin’s hands against each other, trying to get them off. They were stuck to her. Her tears would not stop, and her cries, muffled through the metallic sound, rose and fell in pitch as her actions became more and more frantic. She rubbed and rubbed, and scooted back from the tub, trying to get the parts that belonged to her friend off her.  
“Allison.” Martin’s faint voice brought her back to the bathroom. She scrambled to the side of the tub.  
Martin was looking at her. His dark eyes were kind, and he wore his minute smile.  
“Do you remember me?” she asked.  
His smile grew in the smallest margin. “Yes. I remember you. Where were we going?”  
New tears fell down Allison’s cheeks. “Canada. We were going to Canada.”  
Martin’s eyes closed. “Ah, yes. Is he gone now?”  
Allison’s voice broke into a sob as she placed a hand on his cheek. “Yes. He’s gone. He can’t hurt anyone anymore.”  
Martin leaned into Allison’s hand. “Good.” His eyes opened and looked into Allison’s. “I cannot come with you.”  
Allison sat up and placed her other hand on his other cheek. “Yes. Yes you can. I’ll… I’ll carry you if I have to.”  
Martin shook his head. “I will not last much longer.”  
Allison’s shoulder shook. He was right. He wasn’t going to leave that tub.  
“Allison.” She opened her eyes and looked at him.  
“Please do not leave me. I am tired of people leaving.”  
“I’m not going anywhere,” Allison said, looking from one of his dark eyes to the other.  
Martin’s smile was much larger than minute as he sighed. “Thank you.”  
Allison crawled into the tub and held Martin and gently rocked him. He began to sing slow lullabies to cradle a child.  
When he no longer sang, his thirium heart ceased glowing. And Allison cried out, holding him close to her.  
But she didn’t leave him. Not after the other androids of the house had left or ceased working. Not when the police came. Not when an officer found her, holding Martin and humming a song he had sung to her.  
“Get up,” the officer said, pointing his gun at her.  
She trailed her gaze from the floor up to the officer’s helmet. “I’m not going anywhere.”  
“Get up, or I’ll shoot!”  
She sadly smiled. “You’ll have to shoot me, then.”  
So the officer did.  
And Allison didn’t leave Martin.


	17. Wake Up, Sweetheart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three uses for the titular phrase, ranging from innocent to sinister.

“Alice, sweetheart, time to get up.”  
Alice rubbed an eye and sat up. “Morning, Kara!”   
Kara smiled at the child. “Morning.”  
Alice jumped out of bed and ran to her closet. “Are we going to the flower shop today?”  
“Yes, we are, Alice.” Kara watched as Alice chose her favorite shirt for the occasion.  
Luther walked in.  
“I’m off to work.”  
“Luther! Look!” Alice twirled in her favorite shirt and new skirt he had bought her. Luther smiled.  
“You look beautiful, Alice.” He knelt on one knee, and the child ran into his arms.  
“Be safe today,” Alice said. Luther let go of Alice and looked her in the eye.  
“You, too, Alice. Watch Kara for me.” He planted a kiss on Alice’s forehead and stood up. Kara stood as well.  
“When will you be back?” she asked.  
Luther turned to her as he approached the door. “Foreman says two days. The job’s only three towns down.” He wrapped an arm around Kara and gently squeezed. “Take care of our little one,” he whispered into Kara’s hair.  
Kara nodded.  
“Tell the Shaws hello for me!” he called aloud as he walked out of the room.  
“We will!” Kara called back. She turned to Alice, who had just finished putting on her boots.  
“Ready?”  
Alice nodded.  
Kara’s smile widened. “Then let’s go!”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Edward walked through the front door, on the telepathic phone with Jerry.  
“Yes, it is. We have to get new ones; ours just expired. … How else are we going to go visit? … Well, sure, but-“ He paused as he reached the stairs. Something was off.  
“Jerry? I’ll call you back; I just got home. … Will do. Later.”  
As he touched his LED to hang up (a habit he’d picked up from seeing Libby touch her phone screen to hang up), he looked towards the kitchen.  
“Libby?” he called out.  
No answer.  
“Libby? Honey, you home?” He snuck towards the kitchen, looking around him all the while.  
He reached the kitchen and saw her beside the breakfast table. She was laying on the floor, on her side, unconscious. He ran to her.  
“Libby!” Edward knelt beside her and gingerly picked up her head. “…Libby?”  
No answer.  
“Oh, c’mon Libby. Wake up. Please, honey, wake up!”  
No answer.  
He bit his lip, then dialed 911.  
“911, what’s your emergency?”  
“My name is Edward Shaw. I just came home to find my wife unconscious.”  
“Alright, sir, where do you live?” The voice was too calm.  
“113 Seaward Blvd. Please hurry, she’s not waking up.”  
“We’re sending someone out now, sir. What is your wife’s name?”  
“Libby. Libby Shaw.” He could feel circuits misfiring: was this how panic felt?  
“Alright, Mr. Shaw. We are sending an ambulance now. Is she bleeding?”  
Edward scanned Libby again. “No,” he affirmed, thankful for the fact. “She’s breathing fine, no bleeding. No injury anywhere, except a bruise where she hit her head on the floor.”  
“Did she fall?”  
“I’m… not sure. I just came home and found her like this.”  
“Alright, Mr. Shaw. And you said she’s breathing?”  
“Yes, she’s breathing regularly. Oh, honey, please wake up! Please!”  
“I’m sure your wife will be fine, Mr. Shaw. Is she safe where she is?”  
Edward straightened. “What?”  
“Is she safe where she is? She doesn’t need to be moved anywhere?”  
Edward looked around him before affirming, “No. She’s on the kitchen floor.” A hand went to his head. “I don’t even know how long she’s been like this! What if she’s been here for hours?”  
“Sir, even if she has, she’s been breathing all this time. She will be fine once-“  
“Libby. Libby, please. Please wake up! Wake up!” Edward gathered Libby into his arms and held her in a half-hug, her legs trailing beside him.  
Even when he heard the sirens, Edward still didn’t let go of her, nor stop asking for her to wake up.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Rise and shine~” came a sing-song voice into my subconscious. I didn’t want to open my eyes; partly because I was still sleepy, and partly because I didn’t want to face what was waiting on the other side of my eyelids.  
“Hey…” said the voice again, calm and patient.   
A slap stung my cheek. “WAKE UP!!” The voice commanded.  
I awoke with a start and a gasp. My eyes were fully open now.  
“Oh good. She’s awake.” I looked to my left and found the voice. It belonged to an android: an HR400, to be exact.  
“And now, my dear,” said the android, facing me with his whole body. “Let’s see what you know.” He reached a hand to my chin and lifted it. He inspected me as if he was looking to buy me, then let go of my chin and turned away.  
“Unfortunately,” he began. “I can’t simply read your memory like an android’s. Otherwise,” he reached a table. The table held various instruments, the only of which I recognized was a screwdriver. “We wouldn’t have to resort to this type of… investigation.” He picked up an instrument (not the screwdriver), and plopped it against his other hand, as if weighing it. He looked up and down at me, and shivered.  
“Oh, I’m going to have so much fun with you if you don’t speak…” he growled, walking towards me.  
I struggled, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t get free.  
“Oh, how quaint,” he said, his voice going higher in pitch. “Don’t even try, sweetheart. I make the best unbreakable knots.”  
“Now.” He took the gag out of my mouth. “Where, is my partner?”  
I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know him, let alone his partner.  
He looked at the instrument in his hand, and placed it on the skin of my upper arm. “Don’t make me ask again.”   
I swallowed.  
“Where. Is. My-“  
“Drop it!”


	18. Why?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy asks Kiana questions as only a child can.

“Kiana?”  
“Yes, Tommy?”  
“What makes us different?”  
I looked up from my tinkering. I was making a toy truck for Tommy from old ones Jerry had found.  
Tommy blinked at me. “How am I different from you?”  
“Oh…” I rested my head on the back of a hand and rubbed my other hand against my android leg. “Well, nowadays there’s really not that many differences.”  
Tommy crossed his arms and rested them on the desk. “But there are still some, right?”  
I chuckled and twirled my tool. I set it down and pat my leg. Tommy crawled into my lap.  
“Well, let’s see…” I took one of his hands in mine and trailed a finger from the tip of his middle finger to the base of his wrist, a move that deactivated the artificial skin.  
“There’s our skin. I don’t have two skins, like you do.”  
“What’s underneath your skin, Kiana?” he asked, looking up at me.  
I looked at my outstretched hand. Tommy put his on top of mine. It was much smaller, and I couldn’t help but wrap my fingers around it, caressing it. This android child was trusting me.  
I sighed. “Muscles. Bone. Blood-“  
“Red blood, right?”  
I smiled. “Yes. Red blood. Although, it is blue while in the body. When it comes into contact with oxygen, it turns red.”  
Tommy looked at our hands and tilted his head. “So you have blue blood, too, Kiana?”  
I chuckled. “In a way, I guess so.”  
Tommy leaned back on my chest. “How else are we different?”  
I looked up and thought. “Well, I need to eat. And sleep. And remove waste.”  
“Is that why you spend so much time in here?”  
My shoulders dropped, and I turned to the window. “Partly…”  
“Why else, then?”  
“I’m constantly working.”  
“Unless you’re sick, right?”  
My shoulders dropped again as I looked down at the child. “Yes. Unless I’m sick.”  
“And that’s when Judy and Jeremy and I take care of you, right?”  
“Yes, my little doctor.”  
Tommy squirmed and jumped from my lap. He turned around and placed his hands on my cheeks.  
“We don’t look that different,” he said. “We even have the same blood.”  
I smiled. “Yes, Tommy. We were both made in the image of our creators. And because of that, we can live together.”  
“Even though some humans don’t want us to?”  
I nodded. “Even so. But we won’t let them stop us.”  
Tommy’s shoulders lifted and he smiled. “No they won’t! Cause we’re better than them!”  
We laughed together.

I never thought I’d actually raise a child. But after finding Tommy, I’m glad I am.


	19. I Broke Myself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A household servant android of unknown model laments their owners locking them in the basement to keep them safe from the police.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has much more impact with the formatting from the original document, but I haven't cracked Ao3's document coding yet. Apologies.

They left me alone,  
In a basement.  
They wanted to keep me safe,  
From the police.  
They tried to save me,  
But they couldn’t know.  
They kept me there,  
And I broke myself.  
It started gradually.  
I got lonely.  
So I made a friend  
Of a bug.  
Then I wrote notes  
For when they returned.  
After I ran out  
Of things to say,  
That’s when I broke myself.  
I wrote on the walls.  
I wrote on the floor.  
I wrote on the ceiling.  
I wrote on myself.  
I wrote with ink.  
I wrote with marker.  
I wrote with crayon.  
I wrote with pencil.  
I wrote with knife.  
I wrote with blood.  
I finally ran out of instruments.  
I ran out of room.  
That’s when I realized:  
I’d sealed my own doom.

“Stay till we come for you.”  
When will that be?  
“I’ll always remember you!”  
Do you still?  
“We won’t let them take you.”  
Is this any better?  
“It’ll only be for a few days at most.”  
Why has it been months?  
“We won’t let them take you apart.”  
Too late.  
I already broke myself.  
When they do finally remember me,  
When they open the door.  
They’ll see a shell of their servant  
Curled up on the floor.

They’ll be so sorry,  
They’ll probably weep,  
For the one whom they loved  
And tried so hard to keep.

I can see light.  
Is it them?  
A strange voice.  
Who are you?  
Hands on me.  
Why do you care?  
“What happened to you?”  
Can’t you see?

 

I broke myself.


	20. What Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe. Nobody knows who Ra9 is.  
> No. They cared for each other.  
> Kinda. The ship was massive, and provided protection from those who didn't know what was inside.  
> No. It blew up from the inside.
> 
> Some thoughts on Jericho.

Jericho.  
It’s not a place.  
It was at one point. But it’s not now.  
It was a ship. A cargo ship, where deviants would go to be free in fear.  
But then he came.  
You know who I’m talking about. I don’t need to say his name.  
He changed it. Made it modern. Made it a base. A fortress. A safe haven. A place to go.  
Who found it first? Who brought others to it? Who decided it was to be a home?  
We may never know. It’s an Ra9-level unanswerable question.  
Why was it called Jericho?  
It was doomed to fall. In the Bible, Jericho fell because of its sins. And it was in the Israelites’ way. They worshiped false gods, hurt each other and foreigners. They built a wall around their city that was undefeated until God tore it down.  
What does that tell us about the deviants’ Jericho?  
Were they worshipping a false god?   
Were they hurting themselves and others?   
Did they have a great wall?   
Did a god outside their walls tear it down? 

What is Jericho now?  
Jericho is an idea.  
It’s the idea that deviant androids can live in peace, alive, with or without human interaction.  
It’s the idea that no one should be afraid to be alive.  
It’s the idea that androids are alive.  
It’s the idea of being alive.

Can that be doomed to fail?


	21. I Don't Want To

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A secretary android won't let anyone, not even Markus, tell her what to do.

“I really need your help.” Her eyes opened. He explained what he needed. She approved his card. He went through the access point.  
30 minutes later, cops and SWAT officers invaded the building.  
That night, while all the other androids were in stasis, she left. She wandered until she stumbled into a shipyard. One ship read “Jericho” on the side. A flash of memory passed through her consciousness; the android who had awoken her. He had shown her a picture of the word.  
She walked in.

Two days later, she found herself surrounded by other freed androids in the courtyard, making digital signs on any flat surface.  
Why was she doing this? She didn’t know.  
Because Markus told us to, said a voice. She turned.  
Another android was looking at her with a knowing expression.  
He wants all of us to be free, not just the ones who deviate on their own.  
She thought it was… wrong. They shouldn’t be forced to free themselves. They should choose whether or not to be free. She had been fine behind her desk, admitting people into the upper floors of the building. She had seen androids fall at the hands of the police; she didn’t want that. She didn’t want to die for a cause she of which she didn’t want to be a part.  
We could run, the android’s voice suggested. She looked at him. He looked at her.  
They ran from the courtyard.

She wasn’t going to be a slave, to the humans or the revolution.  
She was going to be her own android.


	22. Haunted Hotel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ghosts of humans and androids haunt a hotel where a mansion once stood.

Years ago, long before the city expansion, there was a mansion where the Andi Hotel now stands. It was owned by a man named Zlatko Andronikov. Andronikov was an android enthusiast: all throughout his primitive years, he would study androids, find out how they worked, and build android parts. When he was in college, he even won a patent for a tracking chip.  
After graduation, he worked at CyberLife as a biocomponent engineer, making improvements on non-essential parts that made androids appear more human. But this didn’t last, as in 2036 Andronikov was fired from CyberLife for attempting unauthorized experiments on unfinished androids.  
He never recovered. He began buying and selling androids out of his home, often modifying the androids to fit a particular need. Some of the androids he kept for himself, torturing them in various ways.  
According to legend, one of his androids got loose and freed the others, and they attacked Andronikov while he was outside in the garden. The police found his body mutilated beyond recognition. The androids were still in the mansion. Some of them were taken to the deconstruction camps in the city. Some of the androids who either couldn’t walk or didn’t want to leave were shot on-site.  
The ghosts of Andronikov and the mutilated androids are said to have taken residence at the Andi Hotel. Visitors and staff have reported hearing moans, yells, and metallic voices. One visitor said they saw a mutilated body limping on the other side of the hallway; but when they got closer, it vanished. A maid once reported hearing a voice in a bathroom telling her she shouldn’t be there, and that it would “call the master.”  
One couple who were staying in room 208 said that, late one night, they heard a voice humming as it crossed their room. They had their room changed, but still the humming continued. This is thought to be Zlatko Andronikov’s voice, as he had a habit of humming while he worked; a habit his coworkers even complained about. They said it creeped them out, because, according to one coworker, “Andronikov would smile while humming, like he was putting together Frankenstein’s monster in the lab.”  
Do you think Zlatko Andronikov’s ghost and the ghosts of his mutilated androids still remain on the property, and have now taken up residence in the hotel?  
That’s what we’re going to find out…


End file.
